The 'Quad' Establishes Joint Maritime Operations Around China

The leaders of the Quad (the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, comprising the U.S., Japan, India, and Australia) in their Summit in Delaware on Sept. 21 established among other things the first ever “Quad-at-Sea Ship Observer Mission,” essentially a military operation to counter China in the South China Sea, while also planning to extend their policing operation to the Pacific Islands and the ASEAN countries. The Japan Times notes that it is meant to “improve interoperability and advance maritime safety,” with future missions expected to take place on a rotational basis across the Indo-Pacific, to expand the Indo-Pacific Partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness initiative, first established in 2022, from Southeast Asia to the entire Indian Ocean region.